Huge Responsibility

As I was leaving the TAG office today with Aidan.......I turned my back on him for one second (to unlock the door he locked) and he went running up the stairs of the building to the 2nd floor. I screamed "stop" on the top of my lungs, but it did not stop him for a second. He went speeding towards the elevator with me running behind him as fast as I could......just as he pressed the button the elevator opens, he runs in, and I barely made it myself as the doors were closing!!!!! As we rode the elevator down to the first floor I told Aidan that it was dangerous that he ran from mommy and that I am very disappointed in him. No reaction on his behalf, he was more fixated on the elevator. On the drive home I started thinking about what could have happened if the building was multiple floors and how I could have lost him or he could have been kidnapped, or he could have hurt himself..etc., etc.,

I tried to overcome these feelings of anxiety, but then I got home and read a news article about a boy with autism who wandered off and drowned in a lake and whose body was found today. I immediately started crying, I really felt the magnitude of the responsibility of looking after a child with autism. As his mother it is my duty to keep him safe from all sources even himself. This is a huge responsibility. I can never underestimate Aidan and his skills! He can pretty much unlock a deadbolt and latch in 2 seconds. Even though Aidan is getting better each day, I still have that burden on my shoulders every moment of every hour of every minute of every second!

No wonder Dr. Jerry says parents of children with autism are under chronic stress!!!

Time for my adrenal boosters!